Collapsible shoe rack



Aug. 25, 1959 p oc ET AL COLLAPSIBLE SHOE RACK Filed May 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS P575? PZOCK/ G/LBf/QT I #04 72 ATTOEA/EW' United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE. SHOE RACK Peter H. Plocki, Riverdale, and Gilbert 1. Holtz, Yonkers, N.Y., assignors to Belvedere Space Saving Products, Inc., Yonkers, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application May '31, 1956, Serial No. 588,537

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-38):

The present invention relates to collapsible shoe racks and more particularly to such racks which ocupy a substantially rectangular area in their extended position and are collapsible to an elongated parallelogram shape. Still more particularly the invention relates to such racks ineluding-means for locking the rack in the extended position.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shoe rack which is collapsible to a much smaller volume to facilitate storage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible shoe rack in which the various parts do not interfered with the collapse of the rack thereby allowing the rack to be completely collapsed to occupy relatively small volume.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a shoe rack of simple construction which is easily fabricated and yet is sturdy and durable.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible shoe rack having a lock which engages automatically upon extension of the rack.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a shoe rack wherein the lock is of simple construction and is readily capable of being released by pressing on a single member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the consideration of the following description together with the appended drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a shoe rack in the extended condition;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device in Fig. 1 in the collapsed condition;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial cut-away view taken along the line 5--5 in Fig. 1 and showing the lock member in its engaged and in its released positions;

Fig. 6 is a partial cut-away view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5 and showing the spring and pin associated with the lock member.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 through 4 there is shown at 11 upright support members comprised of tubing bent in the shape of an inverted U, cross members 12 being pivotally attached at their ends to the upright support members 11. The pivotal attachment is provided by lugs 13 crimped on the end of the cross members 12 and by pins 14 passing through holes in the lug members 13 and the support members 11. Shoe holding members 15 are of inverted U-shaped lengths of wire and are atached to the cross members 12 by welding or any other suitable method. The shoe holding members 15 have the upper portion bent at an angle as shown in Fig. 4 for facilitating the placing of shoes over said members. Caps 16 are provided to cover the ends of the tubular support members 11.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the locking member 17 attached to the end of the cross member 12 is provided with a right angle extension and a downward projection 2,901,117 Patented Aug. 25,, 1,959.

18. The pivot pin 21 attached tothe lock member is. longer than the ordinary pins 14. so that it extends through the upright'member 11. and a spring 22 encircling the pin member 21 is retained by the washer 23 so that the: lock. member 17- is urged downwardly against the support member 11. A hole 20 is provided in the support mem. ber so that the downwardly extending projection 18 isengaged by the hole when the. lock. member is parallel to the support member and is urged downwardly by the spring 22.. I

"It may be seen from the foregoing description that the collapsible rack, may be transported or stored in: the collapsed position shown-Yin Fig. 2, and yet it isinstantlyi,

adaptable for use by being extended into the rectangular shape. As the rack is extended, the lock member 17- is moved toward a position. parallel with the support member 11. and due to the circular crosssection of the support member 11 the, projection 18 slides over the. support member and, is simultaneously lifted upwardly there! by compressing the spring 22 until such. time as. the. lock member 17' is parallel to the support member 11 and the projection 18 snaps into the hole 20 thereby locking the rack in the open position.

Collapse of the rack is normally prevented by the lock but is readily achieved by pressing the extension of the pin 21 upwardly thereby lifting the lock member which is attached to the pin 21 so that the projection 18 is raised out of engagement with the hole 20 at which time the rack can be folded to the collapsed position.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention is described, it is not intended as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather the invention is limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe rack comprising two upright support members in substantially parallel spaced relation, at least two horizontal cross members in substantially parallel spaced relation, each said cross member being pivotally attached at one end to a point on the upper portion of one upright support member and at the other end to a point on the upper portion of the other upright support member, the pivotal attachment of said support members and said cross members being about a vertical axis so that the rack may be collapsed and extended, a plurality of shoe retaining members attached to said cross members, a locking member attached to the end of one of said cross members and extending at a right angle thereto, a downward projection on said locking member, a recess in an upright support member adapted to engage said projection when said cross members are perpendicular to said support members, a releasing member attached to said locking member, said releasing member extending through and beyond said support member whereby pressure on the extension of said pivot and releasing member lifts the locking pin out of the recess allowing relative movement between said support members and said cross members for collapsing the rack.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further including a coil spring encircling the extension of said pivot and releasing member, and a projection on said releasing member for retaining said coil spring whereby the locking member is urged toward said support member.

3. A shoe rack comprising two inverted U shaped tubular support members in substantially parallel spaced relation, at least two horizontal cross members in substantially parallel spaced relation, pivot pins passing through holes in each end of said cross members and pivotally attaching said cross members to the top of said support members, a plurality of shoe retaining members attached to said cross members, a locking member attached to the end of one of said cross members and extending at a right angle thereto, a projection on said locking member, a

recess in an upright support member adapted to engage said projection when said cross members are perpendicular to said support members, a releasing member attached to said locking member adapted to providea pivot for said cross member and extending through and beyond said upright member, a coil spring encircling the extension of said releasing member, a projection on said releasing member for retaining said spring between said projection and'said support member whereby said locking member is normally urged against said support member but may be lifted away from said support member by pressure on the extension of said releasing member.

4. A shoe rack comprising two inverted U shaped tubular support members in substantially parallel spaced relation, at least two horizontal cross rods in substantially 15 parallel spaced relation, lugs crimped to each end of said cross rods, pivot pins passing through holes in said lugs and through holes in said support members for pivotally attaching said cross rods to said support members, a plurality of shoe retaining members attached to said cross rods, a locking member attached to the end of one of said cross members and extending at a right angle thereto, a projection on said locking member, a recess in an upright support member adapted to engage said projection when said cross members are perpendicular to said support members, a releasing member attached to said locking member adapted to provide a pivot for said cross member and extending through and beyond said upright member, a coil spring encircling the extension of said releasing member, a projection on said releasing member for retaining said spring between said projection and said support member whereby said locking member is normally urged against said support member but may be lifted away from said support member by pressure on the extension of said releasing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 336,355 Shaw Feb. 15, 1886 826,584 Lehman July 24, 1906 1,597,913 Lowe Aug. 31, 1926 2,587,586 Bernardi Mar. 4, 1952 2,695,106 Cohen Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 155,078 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1932 1,103,748 France June 1, 1955 

